UTF PODCAST 49: A MORPHINOMINAL COMIC BOOK JERK SPECIAL

Weekly Comic Reviews 11/21

Hey all. Welcome to this edition of Unleash the Fanboy’s Weekly Comic Reviews, I’m your host, Daniel Alvarez. It’s a very special week, with tomorrow being Thanksgiving. (Got your turkey all set?) In comic related stuff, this week brings us the start of the long awaited Judge Dredd series, the next installment of Mind the Gap, among other cool stuff. Let’s get started.

The Darkness #108

If you thought you knew what was going on in the Top Cow Universe, think again. Following the events of their line-wide rebirth and slight continuity shift we are bearing witness to the deliciously rotten fruit of their labors, as subtle connections between Artifacts, The Darkness and Witchblade are bubbling to the surface.

4.5/5

Glory #30

Glory continues this week, offering a coherent and streamlined story. In a world of monsters, different universes and everything in between, it can feel very easy to feel lost. Fortunately, Glory #30 reels everything in, focusing on a tight and focused narrative.

4/5

It Girl And The Atomics #4

Despite a few confusing moments and narrative hiccups It Girl & The Atomics is still an enjoyable series with distinct characters, nice, sometimes big environments, a visually appealing art style and plenty of action and humor to keep you entertained,. While this issue fell a bit short of the mark, I still recommend this book for superhero story lovers.

3/5

Mind the Gap #6

Mind the Gap is finally back with its sixth installment. It had a strong start, a slow middle, but got back on track. Six issues in and I have to wonder how long it can go before the reader gets tired of waiting for the the ‘Hoodie’ to reveal himself. So far it’s been doing a good job with keeping the readers on the edge of their seats. When you really look at it, it’s a soap opera in comic form with a little paranormal thing going on. This issue had me glued to the pages, it was really quite interesting.

4/5

Revival #5

Revival continues, blurring the unknown, the supernatural and the plain weird into small, American town life. So far its been successful, but there are ups and downs throughout Revival #5. In short, whilst it is a bit of a mixed bag, Revival #5 is still worth a read. The main story gets more and more interesting as the puzzle slowly unravels.

3.5/5

Spawn #225

For a milestone release that highlights the fact that we’re about to get answers, we’re left with only confirmations and teasers. But trust me, that’s not a bad thing because what’s available is so juicy and well handled that you just won’t care. Spawn #225 is a riveting read that confirms all of our heroes darkest fears. If you’ve been reading this series since ‘Endgame‘ or earlier, here’s where your patience starts to pay off. Highly recommended.

4.5/5

Dark Shadows #10

Following the events with Lockwood, our hero has regained his humanity but for how long? Even in his mortal state, Barnabus Collins attempts to help his family deal with the supernatural elements that are plaguing them. The results are not perfect but the creative team delivers another solid entry that’s very aware of the repercussions from last month’s issue.

3.5/5

A Game of Thrones #11

The greatest problem with A Game of Thrones as a comic series is how formulaic it. Abraham seems to cut-and-paste the text, and even Patterson’s beautiful pencils are consistently arranged in perfect rectangular panels. Luckily for issue eleven, that formula works unusually well with the subject matter on hand.

3.5/5

The Bionic Man #14

With an unlikely union between Steve Austin and ‘Bigfoot’, the latest issue of Bionic Man is a bit unusual. It does ask for some suspension of disbelief; yet for those who do, they may find a very rewarding story. That said, Bionic Man #14 may push this a little too far. That said, the developments between Austin and Bigfoot are at the core of this issue, and it helps keep the story afloat despite its faults. The next issue looks like it may be over the top, but if its anything like this one, it may still hold its ground.

3.5/5

Peter Cannon Thunderbolt #3

The story of Peter Cannon has been steadily increasing its political themes and aspirations as the characters own various intricacies begin to be bubble to the surface. What we have here is a man who believes in his mission wholeheartedly and yet he doesn’t trust the world around him. He’s so ready and willing to save everyone from themselves but he seems to have issues dealing with people one-on-one, and the creative team brilliantly plays off of this even if some of the results are a bit cumbersome.

3.5/5

The Shadow #8

If you were concerned when Garth Ennis decided to step aside from this pulp icon then this issue should more than comfort you. As the new series writer charts his own course while allowing the established tropes and cemented styles to carry on through his unique work.

4/5

The Spider #6

Our hero went through the ringer dealing with Anput and her zombie horde over the last slew of issues, but now our protagonist is attempting to cope with a slightly more personal tale. An old squad mate from Iraq has resurfaced and in his wake a new villain rears the feathered heads of his winged minions. Prepare for action and political intrigue as this creative team brings you a pulp romp with all the classic trimmings.

3.5/5

Voltron #9

The resurrection of the Voltron franchise in recent years has had some interesting results, this comic book being chief among them. What we have here is a monthly mature sequel of sorts and a re-imagining of the classic 80s cartoon in a way that’s more than worthy of the legacy it embodies.

4.5/5

Adventures Of Augusta Wind #1

If you enjoy nonsensical storytelling; balloons with teeth; or -most importantly- trippy, frantic, brain-liquidating art, you’d do well to pick up The Adventures of Augusta Wind #1. Always assuming, of course, that you can actually read it. I recommend giving it a flip-through before buying, to make sure those text boxes are legible. Hopefully IDW will fix that in any later printings, or at least in the trade.

3/5

Frankenstein Alive, Alive! #2

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is one of my all time favorite stories. In many ways it’s the first monster story of its kind. Over the years there have been quite a few adaptions of the classic, and many sequels. (Bride of Frankenstein? Son of Frankenstein?) Then there’s the crossovers, such as Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman and my personal favorite, Frankenstein vs. Baragon. Indeed, there will always be a new adaption of the classic, or a story with the monster. IDW decided to go ahead and do a sequel to the original book, ever wonder what happened to the monster? The first issue was quite interesting, establishing where this guy had went and that he had been haunted by his creator. The latest issue is definitely something of a modern classic, fans of the character and original story will especially enjoy it.

4/5

Judge Dredd #1

Chances are you fall into into one of three groups, you either are a longtime Dredd fan reading this review to see if this new adaption is good, maybe you saw the recent DREDD 3D film and is interested in seeing more adventures with this guy, or you’re vaguely aware of the character and want to learn more about him. I fall into group three, I’ve known Judge Dredd through his popularity, hearing about the recent film, and knowing that he had a few crossovers with Batman. IDW is the property master, if they can bring a Japanese monster for American readers to read, no reason why they can’t bring a British judge. The first issue does not a nice job explaining things for new readers, perfect if you’re interested in reading a brand new series starring the title character. While it’s a good issue for new readers, it’s slightly lacking in the engaging department. Of course, this is just the first issue, so I expect improvement starting with the next.

3.5/5

Rocketeer: Cargo Of Doom #4

The final issue in the current run, Rocketeer:Cargo Of Doom #4 wraps up the series nicely. It does suffer from some fast pacing issues, but it also helps establish The Rocketeer for a new audience, with a hopeful return in the future on the cards.

4/5

Snake Eyes And Storm Shadow #19

As things kick off, Snake Eyes & Storm Shadow #19 starts to get better involved in the action. Both titular ninjas feature prominently, and the plot certainly thickens with intensity. In short, this is one of the better issues of Snake Eyes & Storm Shadow I’ve read. It builds on the last issue and ends in a thrilling cliff hanger that will certainly keep any fans of the series waiting for the next issue.

4/5

Star Trek #15

What we have here is a dark but compelling tale that shows our heroes in some very unflattering light. Pulling a concept from the original series, this creative team mines the inner workings of the currently accepted cannon to find depth and intrigue in a galactic adventure that’s both familiar and foreign to its natural audience.

4/5

Transformers Robots In Disguise #11

There are certain issues that get so much right that its hard to fault them. Transformers: Robots In Disguise #11 just does that. Its got plenty of character, its coherent to read, it develops the story and finally, it adds a shocking cliff hanger to the end; a serious one, too, not just a typical tag-along suspended ending. What’s more surprising, however, is that it achieves this through an unusual choice of main character.

4.5/5

Michael Turner’s Fathom: Kiani (Vol. 2) #4

The underwater world associated with Fathom, has been, from the beginning, one that displayed immense visual splendor while belying terrible horrors just beneath its surface. That style continues here with a creative team that challenges themselves and their audience as they offer up a plot that has just enough gumption to push this continuing narrative forward.

4/5

2000AD #1810

This week’s 2000AD offers the usual selection of science fiction, fantasy and everything in between. In 2000AD #1810, we have Judge Dredd, ABC Warriors, Low Life, Brass Sun and The Simping Detective, so let’s take a closer look at each.